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What is Our Duty as Christians?

By Vicar Lisa Rygiel

For my Systematic Theology class this past week, we were on the topic of Ecclesiology. Ecclesiology is the doctrine of the church. Christians believe the church has been called into existence by the Holy Spirit to bear the presence of the risen Christ of Easter until the second coming in glory. One of my assignments was to read the Episcopal Church’s An Outline of the Faith, commonly called the Catechism.

I really appreciated a section of it where it addressed a Christian’s duty to God and to our neighbors in a question-and-answer format. I thought it perfectly summed up those duties and I wanted to share.

 

  1. What is our duty to God?
  2. Our duty is to believe and trust in God;
  • To love and obey God and to bring others to know him;
  • To put nothing in the place of God;
  • To show God respect in thought, word, and deed;
  • And to set aside regular times for worship, prayer, and the study of God's ways.
  1. What is our duty to our neighbors?
  2. Our duty to our neighbors is to love them as ourselves, and to do to other people as we wish them to do to us;
  • To love, honor, and help our parents and family; to honor those in authority, and to meet their just demands;
  • To show respect for the life God has given us; to work and pray for peace; to bear no malice, prejudice, or hatred in our hearts; and to be kind to all the creatures of God;
  • To use our bodily desires as God intended;
  • To be honest and fair in our dealings; to seek justice, freedom, and the necessities of life for all people; and to use our talents and possessions as ones who must answer for them to God;
  • To speak the truth, and not to mislead others by our silence;
  • To resist temptations to envy, greed, and jealousy; to rejoice in other people's gifts and graces; and to do our duty for the love of God, who has called us into fellowship with him.

As we begin this new year, consider how you have been performing your duty as a Christian. Are there areas you would like to improve on this year?

 

The Baptism of our Lord -- January 12

10 a.m. Worship with Communion

 

Announcements

Sunday’s Flowers: Given by the people of Zion’s for the joy of the new year.

  • Fellowship Time: Join us after worship today in the Fellowship Hall for our coffee and conversation as we welcome two new members Cristy Street and Brittany Cook.
  • Church Council: The church council meets after worship on Sunday, downstairs in the Fellowship Hall. All are welcome to attend.
  • Weekly Bible Studies:
    • Zion’s weekly Bible Study resumes today, Jan. 8, with the continuation of The Bible from Scratch, series, now focusing on The New Testament for Beginners. See the newsletter for more details.
    • A study of the life and legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) begins Sunday Jan. 19. Bonhoeffer was a German pastor, theologian, ecumenist, and peace activist who wrote profoundly about Christian faith, community, grace, and ethics, centered on the question, who is Christ for us today? This study is on Sunday afternoons from Jan. 19-Feb 23 and will include a Soup Luncheon at 12:30 p.m. followed by the study from 1 to 2 p.m., in the Fellowship Hall.
  • Zion’s January Newsletter: Our newsletter Connections was sent via email on Jan. 1. Hard copies are available in the Fellowship Hall and in the Sanctuary. Electronic versions can be found on Zion’s website, as well.
  • Portals of Prayer: The January to March 2025 Family Devotion booklet Portals of Prayer is available in the Sanctuary and the Fellowship Hall. Large Print copies are in the Fellowship Hall.
  • Flowers 2025: There are many opportunities to sign up to sponsor flowers in the new year. The flower book is in the back of the sanctuary and the suggested donation is $35.
  • 2025 Church Directory: It’s time to update information for the 2025 Church Directory. If you have updates to your information or photo, let Julie Wersal know no later than Feb. 3.
  • Save the Date -- Feb. 2: Join us for First Sunday Potluck, then stay for our Annual Congregational meeting.

 

E-formation -- The Baptism of our Lord -- Jan. 12

The gospel this Sunday is about Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist. A voice speaks from heaven, and the Spirit descends like a dove. This story is also about us: we too have been baptized, we have heard God’s loving call, and we have received the Holy Spirit. What is God’s voice like? Psalm 29 says that God’s voice can break the cedars and strip the trees bare but also give a blessing of peace.

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Many religious communities, including first-century Qumran, conducted water rituals to signify the old life is washed away and a new person born. In first-century Judaism, water rituals prepared participants for the last day, and second century converts to Judaism were baptized. As well, devout Jewish males immersed themselves before each Sabbath and Jewish wives immersed themselves after each menstrual period. Christians continued the practice of water rituals, and in Jesus’ baptism narrative, tied baptism to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and divine adoption. The Old Testament often depicts the presence of God with fire. Luke minimizes the account of Jesus’ baptism and does not explicitly name John as the baptizer, perhaps since the early church was conflicted about why Jesus had to be baptized. By “the heaven was opened” Luke repeats eschatological imagery about the coming of the messiah.

Isaiah 43:1-7

Probably written about 550 bce, what scholars call Second Isaiah is addressed to the Israelites in light of the suffering of the exile. God is called Redeemer repeatedly in this passage: a redeemer was one who bought back a relative or property that had been sold to repay a debt. Just as God had redeemed Israel from Egypt, now God promises to redeem the people from Babylon. The Redeemer is also the Creator. Most surprisingly, these people can be called by God’s name, which in Jewish tradition is unspeakably holy.

Acts 8:14-17

The Acts of the Apostles was written by the author of the Gospel according to Luke probably in the late 80s. In presenting the early decades of the Christian movement, the author, probably a Jewish Christian who was a skilled storyteller, proclaims that the Spirit of God who was active in Jesus is now active in the community. Luke’s interest in the Gentile mission is seen in this mission into Samaria. For Luke, only the original Twelve—here Peter and John—should function as authorities in the church.

Zion's Lutheran Church

A Reconciling in Christ Community

zionsluth@gmail.com

719-846-7785